Comparison of Transient Otoacoustic Emission (TEOAE) responses from Neonatal and Adult Ears

TEOAE responses from neonatal (age: 48 hours) and adult subjects (age: 26.6 ±10.0 years) were analyzed by the combined use of Recurrence Quantification Analysis and Singular Value Decomposition. The data from the two age groups showed significant differences and similarities. The neonatal responses presented less deterministic structures than the adults, in terms of recurrent dynamical features. In both data sets the same high-level of individual-specific dynamical features was observed. The results from the Single Value Decomposition analysis suggest that a large percentage of variability in all the analyzed responses can be explained by 4 to 5 essential modes. This number is lower than that observed in simulated TEOAE responses generated by a 5-component gammatone model. A possible explanation is presented, based on simple instrumental and morpho-anatomical considerations. ------------------Short title: Neonatal and adult TEOAEs